1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to water-pistols and more particularly to a water-pistol and animal figure assembly which when a player grasps the grip of the pistol housed within the figure, he then appears to be holding the figure, and when he operates the pistol to eject water therefrom, the animal then appears to be spitting out this water.
2. Status of Prior Art
Children enjoy playing with stuffed animal figures, for these soft figures which resemble familiar animals, such as lions and tigers, have a plush covering and can be squeezed, hugged and otherwise manipulated in play. A long-time favorite is the classic Teddy Bear.
Thus the Stone U.S. Pat. 5,059,149 discloses a stuffed Teddy Bear provided with a storage compartment for housing books and other articles. Stuffed animal figures representing various animals are available in most toy stores, making it possible for a child to choose his favorite animal as a pet.
A water-pistol is also a highly popular toy, for children take delight in spraying other children with water. All water pistols regardless of their internal mechanism, include a hand grip provided with a trigger which when pulled by the player grasping the grip, then draws liquid from a liquid reservoir housed in the pistol and pumps the liquid into a barrel from whose outlet nozzle the liquid is ejected. Of prior art background interest is the U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,789 to Ferri showing a water pistol having a trigger-actuated pump for withdrawing liquid from a reservoir and supplying it to the nozzle of the gun.
Most toys which children enjoy seek to emulate adult activity. Thus a child playing with a toy automobile prefers that this toy vehicle closely resemble a model of a Cadillac or other well-known auto, rather than being purely fanciful.
In recent years, the trend in water-pistol design has been toward creating realistic replicas of military or police small arms. This makes it possible for children playing with these water-pistols to imitate a cops and robbers gun fight or actual military combat.
But water-pistols which resemble real weapons are now in public disfavor, and in some states they are banned by law. The reason for the interdiction of water-pistols which are replicas of real weapons is that crime is now rampant in the streets of most American cities and even in many suburbs. Police under stress may be unable to distinguish between a real gun and a water-pistol that is a replica of this gun. As a consequence of this confusion, there are instances where a police officer has shot a child pointing a water-pistol at him, thinking it was a real gun.
Yet water-pistols are essentially innocuous and it is unfair to deprive children of the joys of playing with these toys. On the other hand, an exposed water-pistol is no longer acceptable to the public.
In my above-identified copending application of the same title there is disclosed a pistol and stuffed animal figure assembly in which the pistol is concealed within the figure, yet is fully operable. The pistol includes a hand grip provided with a trigger, a liquid reservoir in the form of a cartridge clip insertable in the grip and a pump which when the trigger is pulled then draws liquid from the reservoir and pumps it into the barrel of the pistol from whose outlet nozzle the liquid is ejected. The figure includes a head having an open mouth that simulates that of an animal, and a body having an internal cavity that is open at its end and communicates with the head.
The pistol is received within the body cavity with its barrel socketed in the head of the figure so that the outlet nozzle is in alignment with the open mouth. When a player extends his hand into the cavity to grasp the grip of the pistol, he then appears to be holding the figure. And when the player pulls the trigger to cause liquid to be ejected from the outlet nozzle, the figure then appears to be spitting out this liquid.
The advantage of this prior assembly is that the operating water-pistol is disguised as an animal figure so that one who sees the figure has no idea of its true function, yet the child who plays with the concealed pistol can shoot water therefrom.
Another advantage of this prior assembly is that the water-pistol which may be a replica of a real weapon having a removable cartridge clip is fully concealed by the figure and therefore cannot be mistaken for a real weapon. And it may be reloaded with water without removing the pistol from the figure, for the cartridge functions as a water reservoir and to reload the pistol the empty cartridge is removed and the water is replenished.
The typical water pistol has an internal water reservoir placed above the grip in line with the barrel of the gun, the reservoir being provided with a removable stopper so that the water can be replenished. When therefore a pistol of this type is concealed in a figure and the water in the pistol reservoir is exhausted, one had to withdraw the pistol from the figure in order to replenish the water, after which the water-loaded pistol is returned to the figure. This reloading procedure is somewhat difficult for many children to carry out, and is at the very least inconvenient. The advantage of using a water pistol is which the removable cartridge clip functions as a water reservoir is that one can reload this pistol with water without having to remove the entire water pistol from the figure, only the cartridge being removed.
However, a cartridge clip serving as a water reservoir has a limited water capacity which is exhausted after a relatively brief period of water pistol use. When a child is engaged in water combat game with another child, which he wins by striking the other child with water before the other child succeeds in striking him, it is frustrating for the players to have the supply of water exhausted in the course of play, for this brings the game to a premature halt.